Virgin Galactic is Reopening Space Tourist Ticket

Do you want to look down on the face of the earth? Do you want to experience a spaceship? Do you want to experience a high-altitude glide?

Virgin Galactic’s new ship for space tourism

If you’ve been impatiently waiting to get your name on the list for a flight to space, Virgin Galactic  is here to oblige – but it’s going to cost you.

Space tourism company Virgin Galactic announced 2.15 that it will open ticket sales to the public for the first time on Wednesday, It’s unclear how long the buying window will stay open; Virgin Galactic has not yet disclosed an end date.

The seat deposit is $150,000, and the total ticket price is $450,000.There three different sales offerings: a single seat purchase, packaged seats for couples, friends or family, or opportunities to book entire flights. The company has said previously that — of the $150,000 deposit — $25,000 is not refundable.

This isn’t the first opportunity to buy seats with Virgin Galactic, as the existing customer pool shows. For example, the company temporarily reopened ticket sales in August 2021, a month after Virgin Galactic’s first fully crewed spaceflight with founder Richard Branson on board. That window was the first to feature the $450,000 price; previously, you could’ve bought a seat for $250,000.

Virgin Galactic unveils its new ship for space tourism

“At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational,” said Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier. “We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet.”

This is an ambitious timeline, given that the company has not flown once since their first passenger flight in July 2021, which company founder Sir Richard Branson was aboard. However, it’s certainly possible if FAA clearance and good weather work in their favor. Virgin Galactic currently claims to have around 600 customer reservations that need to be fulfilled before new customers can fly.

For those not familiar, the spaceflight itself launches from Spaceport America in New Mexico. After several days of “spaceflight preparedness activities,” customers will experience a 90-minute journey that includes several minutes of weightlessness and stunning views of Earth from the spacecraft’s many windows. They then glide back to earth, landing at Spaceport America where guests and VG crew await.

If you’re ready to take the leap, reservations can be made on the Virgin Galactic website for an initial deposit .; the rest is payable before your flight. Don’t delay though – the company says this is a “limited opportunity” and it’s difficult to know how much tickets will cost during the next offering. The company’s stock jumped 32% yesterday in advance of this news, but fell slightly during after-hours trading.

Alongside opening ticket sales to the public, Virgin Galactic also revealed it will replace the iris of Sir Richard Branson in its logo with a purple outline of its spacecraft.

purple outline of its spacecraft